How long after mowing can horses graze

Table of Contents Show

Benefits of Mowing
Potential Risks for Horses Grazing Mowed Pasture
When should I let my horse graze?
Can horses graze on a field that has been topped?
Is it okay to let my horse graze?

Ashf

Well-Known Member

The farmer cut the field on Sunday for silage, gathered it up and removed it on the same day. Its a 5 acre field so a massive space really.
There is the odd bit of grass here and there which the machine didn't pick up, which has 95% dried to a hay type consistency.

We've not had any rain since then, but my daughters reluctant to put the horses back onto it as she is worried they will get colic from the remaining clippings, so they have been in since then on Hay.

when would you say its safe to turn them out ?

Ta Ash

I was always led to beleive it was lawn mower clippings that were dangerous because they are small and ferment really quickly. I would think they would be fine.

Considering how warm it is, I'd leave it a week and then it should have dried up properly.

Well we had our fields topped last week and turned out the same day - we had no choice! Because there is plenty of nice grazing the horses do not even bother going near the clippings that were left (there were some in all fields).

I have put mine out straight away onto a cut field and not had any problems. They usually go for the grass around the edges and ignore the clippings. As long as the clippings are not too wet should be fine.

We turn out straight away too. Never had a problem.

Not a good idea to turn out horses onto grass stubble.

The reason being is that grass stems contain more fructan than any other part of the plant and fructan is the carbohydrate that can trigger laminitis.

Dodson and Horrell used to do a good fact sheet on it but should be able to advise if you give them a ring.

When we had ours cut (and the ends picked up) - we turned out straight away and never had any problems.

We've been turning out straight away for over thirty years without any problems, normally they ignore any left overs to nobble the longer grass round the edges.

Phew, glad someone else has heard this! I was told (or read) that mowed grass stubble is very stressed and blah blah with the fructans thing.

We always wait after topping until whatever you ahve cut has dried to a hay like consistency. That removes any colic danger.

I would happily turn straight out on a field that has recently made silage or hay. Its won't cause colic, but it might make them fat, so if weight is a problem you could strip graze.

Mowing pastures enhances the quality of the grass for horses. iStockPhotos.com

“Mowing” is a term used to describe the cutting or trimming of grass. The mowing process cuts grass to a uniform height in a pasture or lawn. Do pastures, paddocks or fields used to graze horses require mowing? Is there a potential benefit of mowing? At what height do you mow pasture grass? Are there any risks associated with grazing horses on freshly mowed pasture? Those questions and others will be answered in this article.

Benefits of Mowing

The main goal in pasture management is to maintain or to enhance grass quality. The intake of pasture grass can be a significant source of nutrition for the grazing horse if the pasture is properly managed. Mowing is one tool that can be used to better manage pasture.

Some horse owners mistakenly feel that mowing pastures is simply done to make the pastures look nice. However, there are several valid reasons to consider for mowing pastures. Some potential benefits of mowing include: weed management, enhancing forage quality and reducing grazing patterns.

Mowing pastures is a great means of controlling weeds. Repeated mowing of pasture decreases the competitive ability of a weed to survive in a grass paddock. Keeping weeds the same height of grass will give grass an advantage and prevent weeds from shading and restricting grass growth. Mowing also serves to prevent weeds from establishing seed heads.

Eliminating seed heads prevents weeds from reproducing and spreading in the pasture. The control of weeds in a pasture does not occur with a single mowing, but instead is facilitated with multiple mowings.

Mowing pastures enhances pasture quality. A grass plant that is actively growing is constantly producing nutrients that horses can utilize. The mowing process keeps grass plants in a vegetative or growing state. Mowing prevents the plants from reaching a reproductive state when they develop a seed head and ultimately cease growing. Mowing also keeps plants at a shortened height which increases digestibility and palatability. As grass plants grow tall they become fibrous and less digestible.

When mowing grass pastures, it is important not to cut grass plants too short since cutting too short will reduce leaf area which is needed to stimulate growth. A grass plant that is cut too short is also prone to stress and might die. The optimum height for a cool-season grass is approximately four inches (10 cm), while the optimum height for a warm-season grass is approximately eight inches (20 cm).

Mowing pastures also reduces grazing patterns. Horses tend to graze in certain areas of a pasture and utilize other areas of the pastures to pass manure. The grazed areas are very short and known as “lawns.” The non-grazed areas consist of taller grass and they are known as “roughs.” This is a bit of golf course terminology, but it describes well the different areas of a horse pasture.

Mowing serves to shorten the taller grass and enhance its palatability. Over time this will help to eliminate the grazing patterns that can exist of horse pastures and provide better utilization of pasture.

Potential Risks for Horses Grazing Mowed Pasture

What are the risks, if any, for horses grazing mowed pasture?

The single biggest risk associated with mowed pasture is the horse consuming mowed grass that has molded. Once grass is mowed, the portion of grass that is clipped from the plant contains high moisture content. These clippings are prone to molding. If horses eat grass that has molded, it can cause a variety of symptoms including coughing and nasal discharge and in extreme instances can result in death due to mold toxins.

Another potential risk of clipped forage is choking. If horses take in large mouthfuls of short grass clippings they can potentially choke.

Both the risk for ingestion of mold and for choking can be virtually eliminated if the pasture is harrowed following mowing.

The harrowing process spreads the grass clippings evenly throughout the field and dramatically decreases the likely hood of any problems.

Supplement your horse’s summer diet of pasture with high quality forages from Standlee Premium Western Forage. Visit standleeforage.com/products to learn about a variety of product options including Alfalfa/Timothy pellets, Orchard pellets, Alfalfa cubes and many more.

When should I let my horse graze?

Susceptible horses should graze between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m., when plant sugars are lower. Plants collect sugar in times of stress such as during a drought or when temperatures fall below 40° F. Don't graze susceptible horses during periods of plant stress.

Can horses graze on a field that has been topped?

Can horses eat topped grass? No, it is highly recommended that horses should not be allowed to graze on the pasture until any cut grass and weeds have been completely removed from the paddock.

Is it okay to let my horse graze?

Along with creating a bond, grazing in-hand can also supplement your horse's diet. Grass is, and will always be, the best source of nutrition for horses. When your pastures become less productive, your horse will appreciate the opportunity to graze on grass growing on un-mowed areas and roadside ditches.